Hobbyhorse



HoBBYHoRsE P. HAGUE g@ Filed Sept. 19, 192,7

ffl 221 Patented pr. 9, 1929.

ALEXANDER P. HAGUE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. l

HOBBYHORSE.

Application led September 19, 1927. Serial No. 220,326.

My invention relates to hobby-horses and similar devices having provision for progressing the saine by power imparted by the rider.

The invention will be best understood from the following description when read in the light of the accompanying drawing of one embodiment of the invention, while the scope of the invention will be'more particuv n, larly pointed out in the appended claims.

1n the drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a hobby-horse constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device according to Fig. 1, with parts broken away and parts in different positions;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections on the lines 3--3 and 4-.4 of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 being on an enlarged scale; and f Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

As illustrated the device com-prises a body having a front member 1 and a rear member 3 connected by side members 5, the latter being cut away at their forward and rearward end portions to ,provide openings 7 and 8 through which respectively extend rockermembers 9 and 11. To the opposite ends of the members 9 and 11 respectively are rigidly secured the upper portions oflrearwardsupmy porting legs 13 andforward supporting legs 15. As shown the members-9 have -upper edges 17 in rolling contact with the upper edges 19 of the openings 7 and 8, the constructionbeing such that when the legs are ,3 swung or oscillated alternately toward and away from each other in a vertical plane for progressing the device the body will not be substantially raised or lowered. The inclined side edges 21 of the members 9 and 11 coact with the corresponding side edges of the openings 7 and 8 so as to provide stops for limiting the swinging of the legs in opposite directions relative to the body.

As illustrated the device is provided with a support 23 for the body of the rider, said support herein termed a saddle, Herein the forward ortion of the saddle is pivoted at 25 to the ody of the device, and at its under side is pivotally conected to the upper end of a link 27 the lower end of which carries a pin 29 slidably engaged with slots 31 formed in the ends of arms 33 which respectively are rigidly connected to the facing sides of the members 9 and 11 and extend toward the central part of the body to beneath the saddle as clearly shown by Fig. 2 of the drawing.

As illustrated the device is provided with foot rests 35 for the rider, said foot rests herein termed fstirrups. As shown the stirrups are connected by straps 37 to the ends of arms 39 iXedly carried by a rock shaft 41 on the body, the rock shaft having a rearwardly projecting arm 43 in the path of a pin or roller 45 secured to the link 27. .As shown a stop 47 is provided for limiting upward movement of the arm 43. I

As illustrated the legs 13 and 15 are provided with rollers 49 carried on pivot pins 51 secured to brackets 53 rigidly attached to the ends of the legs, the opposite ends of the pins 51 extending beyond the brackets into slots 55 of side arms 57 of grip devices for the rollers having supportengaging members 59 to which the arms are secured. The construction is such that when the legs are swung rearward relative to the body the grip devices by reason of contact of the portions 59 thereof with the support for the device slide realtive to the legs to bring said portions into contact with the rollers and thus prevent rotation of the latter, while when the legs are swung forward the grip devices are moved out of contact with the rollers and permit rotation thereof.l

lin operation, assuming the parts are in the position shown by Fig. 2, if the rider permits his weight to be supported on the saddle the latter will descend and depress the arms 33, thereby swinging the legs apart into the position shown by Fig. 1. During this movement the grip devices for the rollers 49 on the rear legs will prevent rotation of said rollers, and said rear legs will not move relative to the support for the device. The 9 rollers 49 on the front legs however are free to rotate during this movement of the legs, and therefore the front legs will move relative to the support for the device, which will progress the device. When the saddle descends the pin 45 contacting with the upper side of the arm 43 causes the stirrups to be raised into the position of parts shown by Fig. 1. With the parts in the position shown by Fig. 1 if the rider supports his weight on the stirrups 35 the latter will descend and by reason of the connection of the same with the legs of the device and with the saddle will swing the legs toward each other and raise the saddle to position these parts as shown by Fig. 2. During thisl latter movement of the legs the rollers 49 on the front legs are prevented from rotating, while the rollers on the rear legs are free to rotate, which willv prevent movement of the front legs relative to the support for the device while permitting movement of the rear legs relative to said support, thus causing further progression of the device.

It will be observed that the oscillatory movement of the legs to;` causing progression of the device is caused by the rider alternately supporting himsel'l:l on the saddle and stirrups, which saddle and stirrups Aare operatively connected to the legs, and further that that wide deviations from this embodiment' may be made without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

Claims:

1. A device of the character described havi ing, in combination, a body, front and rear legs for supporting said body, means vfor swinging said legs relative to said body in vertical planes with the ends of said legs resting upon a support, and connections between said legs and bod providing shifting horizontal pivots for sa1d legs, which pivots remain substantially lixed distances above the plane of said support in all angular positions of said legs relative to said body.

2. A 'device of the character described having, in combination, a body, front and rear legs for supporting said body, means for swinging said legs relative to said body in vertical planes with the ends of said legs resting 4upon a support, and connections between said legs and body providing for pivoting each leg about different horizontally spaced axes when said leg is in diilerent portions of its travel relative to said body whereby said device is progressed by swinging of said legs without substantial raising or lowering of said body. v

3. A device of the character described having, in combination, a body, front and rear legs for supporting said body, means for swinging said legs relative to said body in vertical planes with the ends of said legs resting upon a support, and rocker connections between said legs and body providing for pivoting each leg about different horizontally spaced axes when said leg is in dilerent portions of its travel relative to said body, Whereby said device is progressed by swinging of said legs without substantial raising or lowering of said body.

4. A device of the character described having, in combination, a body, front and rear legs for supporting said body, means for swinging said legs relative to said body in vertical planes with the ends of said legs resting upon a support, means comprising cooperating parts carried by said legs and body for pivotally connecting said legs to said body about horizontal axes when said legs are inclined forwardly relative to said body and about` different horizontal axes spaced rearwardly from said first mentioned axes when said legs are inclined rearwardly relative to said body, whereby said device is progressed by swinging of said legs without substantial raising or lowering of said body.

5. A device of the character described having, in combination, a body, front and rear legs for supporting said body, means for swinging said legs relative to lsaid body in vertical planes with the ends of said legs resting upon a support, front and rear rocker members respectivelyeonnecting said front and rear legswsaid members having spaced portions cooperating with spaced portions on said body for providing forwardly and rearwardly shifting pivots as said legs are swung correspondingly relative to said body, whereby said body is progressed by swinging of said legs without substantial raising and lowering of said body.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specication.

ALEXANDER C. P. HAGUE. 

